Looking to upgrade our current tent and looking for some advice on what is best.
Currently have a Vango Icarus 500 with awning but with 2 growing children, we are starting to outgrow it.
I like the fact we can zip in our current awning and can sit and cook in it during bad weather. Lots of the larger tents I've seen have an open porch which we don't want. I also prefer the tunnel tent style rather than tents with a central living pod and bedrooms at either end. Would also like 3 bed compartments.
What do people currently have that is good? Not decided between poled or air tent so open to both.
Don't forget to leave a review of all tents you've used, for a chance to win fantastic prizes
Quote: Originally posted by emmie4681 on 31/5/2026
Where are the tent reviews? Cant find them.
It's now called 'Tent Showcase', and the button can be found near the top of the website.
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- 2026: FR+DE
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Don't forget to leave a review of all tents you've used, for a chance to win fantastic prizes
Quote: Originally posted by emmie4681 on 31/5/2026
Looking to upgrade our current tent and looking for some advice on what is best.
Currently have a Vango Icarus 500 with awning but with 2 growing children, we are starting to outgrow it.
I like the fact we can zip in our current awning and can sit and cook in it during bad weather. Lots of the larger tents I've seen have an open porch which we don't want. I also prefer the tunnel tent style rather than tents with a central living pod and bedrooms at either end. Would also like 3 bed compartments.
What do people currently have that is good? Not decided between poled or air tent so open to both.
We have a Outwell Woodlake 7atc. Technical cotton and air.
There is me and the wife and 2 kids. Morning than enough room for us, with loads of space. 3 sperate bedrooms and a separated porch area that is covered and built in with plenty of vents. We love it and it's the perfect tent for us. Outwell don't do them new anymore but there are a few decent bundles on eBay at the moment also worth looking at the stonelake 7atc. Same tent but the porch is zip on not attached like the woodlake. We have used it in all weathers and it's held firm and. Highly recommend an outwell tent of any kind!
Pay heed to overall footprint size of a 7/8 berth tent, you may find you exclude yourself from some pitches as too big!
Not sure they even exist new anymore, but we had a 6 berth 'Tri-Lobed' tent many years ago, seemed a good idea at the time (Bad idea with hindsight!), but only kept for 2 seasons! PITA to erect/breakdown as so many poles, and packing was a nightmare as so many 'loose sticky out bits' that didn't pack tidily, HUGELY wasteful of pitch space as the 'lobes' have a lot of guy ropes that make the external space between pretty unusable! It also had a phenomenal number of flysheet joints, some of which leaked from new, and would have been a nightmare as it got older! We got rid of it as it was difficult to find large enough pitches, or we had to pay a premium for oversized pitches. We've since used tunnel tents, and they are so much better in all respects.
We've increased our sleeping capacity/reduced number of people in fitted bedrooms in nominal 6 berth tunnel tents by using 'pop up' additional bedrooms in the living area. They can fairly easily be put down for daytime use of the living area if you need it.
Swings and roundabouts on poles vs air! Airbeam tents tend towards heavy and very bulky in the holdall as it's 'all in one' with airbeams permanently fitted, whereas poles can be carried separately and flysheet is usually lighter anyway. Check specs to see if you can lift/carry holdall and it fits in car boot space!
Beware of airbeams that don't have isolation valves or are not independent! - without isolation valves, one leaky airbeam collapses the whole tent! With isolation valves, you may be able to carry on using tent albeit with a 'soggy' partially deflated section.
Pros of airbeams is ease of erection and breakdown, BUT you need to be fairly fit to use the hand pump, electric pumps are a real bonus - BUT ensure you have appropriate power supply to hand, very few suitable self powered pumps available! Rival brand pumps don't always have suitable hose connectors - they are not universal fit!
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Best 7/8 man tent?
via mobile 31/5/2026 at 3:22pm
